Lonely Road
by Ukyou-Taisuke
Summary: Michiko has always been mostly alone. What better than to find someone? Someone who cares? -No flames please-
1. Chapter 1

**Okay...I was really bored, and this crazy idea came into my mind. I'm sorry for not updating anything for a long time! But I was lazy and I was being bombarded with homework.**

**Dedicated to XxMichyBabyxX! Hope ya like it, Michy!**

**Ukyou-Taisuke**

**-**

**-**

Nakamura Michiko gave a sigh at all her homework. She was at school, in the library, trying not to doze off. Her cousin, Akutagawa Jirou, was trying – _trying_ – to tutor her.

"See here, Mi-chan...from what I understand...you take this number and..." he paused as he found his cousin, looking out the window. "Mi-chan...I could be sleeping if you hadn't called me here to teach you..." he complained.

She lifted her magenta-coloured eyes and smiled tiredly. "Sorry, Ji-chan...You can teach me tonight. You're going to be late for tennis practice."

Jirou blinked a few times, squinted his right eye, and then started panicking. "Ack! Atobe-buchou's going to KILL me! Eep! Thanks for reminding me, Mi-chan!" And he ran off, shooting a last glance at the clock.

Michiko sighed. She was alone again. It wasn't that she didn't understand her homework...it was just that she'd been lonely. Her homework was finished early, and she had nothing to do. Jirou was almost always sleeping, and she was always bored.

She frowned. What had ever possessed her to ask _Jirou_ for help? Heck, she understood her homework better than _he_ did!

"I'm just going to go see Ji-chan play tennis..." she mumbled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. She gathered her books and hurried out of the library.

_BAM._

"Ow! Sorry, I should have watched where I was...going...?" she trailed off, looking into a pair of gray-black eyes.

_Wow..._she thought, her cheeks turning pinkish.

The boy looked down at her and offered a hand up. She took it gratefully and stood up, beginning to apologize again. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

"Nah, it's alright. I'm going to be late now. Bye." He ran off, waving a hand in the air as a friendly gesture.

_Hey...wasn't that...wasn't that ATOBE?_ She screamed in her mind. And she didn't even recognize him! But wasn't he always that arrogant person who always boasted about his pride? Wasn't he that flashy person who was always excused from being late?

That was the first time she had met the _real_ Atobe Keigo.

-

-

_Ji-chan...where are you?_ Michiko searched frantically for her cousin. And she found him, lying on the coach's bench.

She opened her mouth to call for him, but someone else beat her to it.

"Oi, Akutagawa! You're on the courts! Now!"

Michiko's heart fluttered. Of course, she was familiar with all the Hyotei's tennis regulars, but Atobe was someone she had watched from afar. She hadn't really conversed with him before.

"Michy! What're you doing on the courts?" Gakuto jumped out of nowhere and glomped her from the side happily.

"Gaku-kun..."

"Ah, Gakuto...get off her."

"Yuushi!" Michiko recognized, smiling.

Oshitari nudged his glasses up higher. "Oh. I see you're looking at Atobe, huh?"

A bright red flush pushed its way onto Michiko's face. "N-no..." she tried to lie.

"Uh-uh...no lying on the courts, Michy!" Gakuto shook his finger in disapproval.

"MICHY!" A voice screamed. Michiko looked up in alarm, eyes widening as she saw her best friend, Ukyou, flying towards her on an unsteady skateboard.

"AAH!" Michiko squealed, covering herself with her arms. Then, she felt a firm hand push her from the side and out of danger.

Then a crash was heard, and Michiko opened her eyes, seeing Atobe standing in front of her. He looked over her worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"U-uh..." she blanked out, staring deep into his eyes.

Ukyou popped her head out of a nearby bush. "Ow..." she muttered, looking at a painful, purple bruise beginning to form on her leg.

"Ucchan..." Michiko sweatdropped. "How long have you been practicing that trick?"

"Uhm..." Ukyou put a finger to her chin. Then she snapped her fingers. "About two months."

"Still no progress?"

Ukyou grinned. "Nope. But Fuji-senpai's been helping me. I'm just working on the form for now."

"Hey, it's Ukyou-chan!" Jirou paused his game, grinning enthusiastically.

Ukyou grinned back and waved her arms in the air, "Hi, Ji-kun!"

Jirou abandoned his game and came over, still grinning. "What brings you here?"

Ukyou blinked and then pointed to the guilty party: the skateboard. "It tried to kill Michy! Again!" she whined, pouting.

This time, Atobe stepped forward, a dark glare on his face. "Do you know how dangerous that was?"

Ukyou gave him a confused look. "...huh?"

"You could've killed her!" Atobe was shouting now, pointing at Michiko.

"Hey, don't yell at her!" Jirou defended the girl, who was looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Michy. I'm also sorry for angering your boyfriend."

"B-_boyfriend_?!" Michiko shrieked, her face turning different shades of red.

Ukyou tilted her head to the side and looked at her innocently. "...He isn't your boyfriend?"

"No!" she squeaked, shaking her head furiously.

"Oh..." Ukyou nodded, closing her eyes. "But he _will_ be, won't he?"

"Ucchan!"

Ukyou smiled, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Kidding...or not..." she whispered the last part under her breath. "Anyway, Fuji-senpai's going to worry if I disappear on him."

Michiko smiled teasingly. "You still call him 'senpai'?"

Ukyou stuck her tongue out at her friend, trying to ignore the red blush creeping up her cheeks. "He's going to meet me soon, so I gotta dash. See you, Michy!"

"Don't kill anyone!" Michiko reminded her, waving.

"Whatever!" her faraway voice sounded. She was already rolling – unsteadily – to her destination.

"...How many times has that girl tried to kill you?" Atobe snarled, a grimace on his face.

Michiko frowned. "Don't just assume things! Ucchan's my best friend. I won't tolerate you insulting her!"

"And she was wearing a Seigaku uniform..."

"So what if she goes to Seigaku?" She argued, placing her hands on her hips.

"And this has happened more than once?"

"And so what if it happened more than once? Atobe, she's a good person that goes to Seigaku, and she's only a freshman! You're a third year! You should know better!"

Atobe crossed his arms and stomped off. Michiko put a hand to her mouth and paused. "Did I say something wrong...?"

Jirou scratched his head and came to stand beside her. "Nah, I don't think so. He...seemed to be worried. I've never seen him like this before."

"Really?" _He was really worried...about...me...?_

-

-

"You don't look well, Mi-chan. You want water?" Jirou asked his cousin, worried.

"I'm...fine..." she coughed, her cheeks pink, not because of embarrassment, but because of a fever.

"It's 'cause you ran home in the rain! Why'd you forget your jacket at school?!"

"I...don't know..." Michiko coughed again, sniffling.

Then, the phone began ringing. It was a shrill sound that made Michiko dizzy. "Ji-chan...get the phone..."

He saluted and grinned. "Yes ma'am!" He picked the phone up and yelled in it: "HYELLO?"

"JI-KUN!"

"Ukyou-chan?"

"I HEARD MICHY WAS SICK! CAN I TALK TO HER?"

"Eh...just one sec." He put a hand over the speaker. "Mi-chan! Ukyou-chan's on the phone. Ya feel like talking?"

"Uh...no...tell her sorry. And to stay away from me because I got a fever."

"Sure. Hey, Ukyou-chan? She doesn't wanna talk to you."

Michiko shot up in the air. "JI-CHAN! I DID _NOT_ SAY THAT!"

"Whoops...uh...sorry, Ukyou-chan. She doesn't feel good."

"I knew it! It's because of that stupid skateboard! It made Michy get siiick! I'm never ever ever ever ever gonna ride it ever ever ever ever ever again! I – "

"Ukyou-chan?"

" – gonna smash it into pieces and – "

"Uh..."

Michiko sighed. "Is she ranting again?"

"Ayup."

"Hang up on her."

"Yes, ma'am."

-

-

A thousand tissues, phone calls, and text messages later, Michiko flopped back onto her bed. She was tired of talking and talking and talking...

Jirou was already fast asleep on the couch, mumbling something about dreaming. Michiko did a double-take. _He's sleeping in his _DREAM?!

_Ding-dong..._

Michiko sighed. She walked slowly to the door and opened it. There was no one there. She sniffled and shrugged before trying to go back in the house.

Then she heard a loud clear of the throat from the bushes. "Huh?" She turned back to the doorstep and still saw no one there.

"Look...down...!"

"What the..." she muttered, sneezing three consecutive times and looked down, as the mysterious voice told her to.

There, lying on her doorstep, was a bouquet of roses and a card. She picked it up and read:

_Michiko,_

_I've heard from several people that you were sick. I hope you get better._

_Love,_

_Atobe Keigo_

_Atobe...Keigo...?_ She thought, her heart racing. She blushed and held the presents close to her.

_I'll treasure them._

-

-

**Okay...this won't be very long...just about three to five chapters?**

**Michy, I don't think I portrayed Michiko right...but I hope you liked it (so far) anyway!**

**Ukyou-Taisuke**

**P.S. I give cookies to reviewers!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright! Next chappie! Uh...I'm not trying to plagiarize or anything...but...blah, blah, and blah. Cut the small talk, let's get it on!**

-

-

One week later, Michiko was found staring at Hyotei's tennis courts yet again. She had nothing better to do; she was a good student and had her homework all up to date.

Atobe had come up to her and grumbled an apology to her for getting mad at Ukyou.

"Don't tell _me_ that! Tell _her_!" Michiko reasoned, raising an eyebrow.

"I refuse to speak with that Seigaku brat," he scoffed, looking away from her.

"I know you don't like her, just apologize to her!"

"She acts happy-go lucky all the time...I bet she doesn't even feel anything."

"That's not true!" Michiko fibbed, knowing perfectly that he was right. Ukyou was always a bubbly person who didn't have a worry in the world. But she also knew that Ukyou could be extremely sensitive at times, and she didn't want her to feel hurt about what Atobe said to her.

Atobe scoffed again and left that stubborn frown on his face as Michiko turned away from him and continued to watch Jirou's match against Hiyoshi.

Then, Michiko felt a shudder go through her spine. "I sense trouble..." she murmured.

"MICHY!"

Michiko 'eeped' and ran out of the way of the flying skateboard. Everyone on the courts turned to the disturbance. Atobe had moved a step forward, his mouth hanging open.

"ACK!" The tumbling ball rolled yet again into the bushes.

Atobe frowned. "I'm starting to think that she's doing this on purpose..."

"I am _not_!" Ukyou's muffled voice came as she coughed a leaf out. "Ew!"

Michiko laughed and ran over to her. "Are you alright?"

"I think I swallowed a leaf...or a twig...or something..." Ukyou gagged and turned away to look for her skateboard.

_Good ol' Ukyou,_ Michiko thought, amused. Then something clicked in her mind. "Oh yeah, Ucchan?"

"Yeah?" Ukyou turned around brushing the dirt off her shirt. Then she stuck her tongue out. "What if I swallowed a _bug_ or something?! Ugh!"

Everyone continued to stare at her. Ukyou blinked. Then made an 'o' shape with her mouth and waved at them. "Ignore me. I'm being a weirdo. Go back to practice."

Michiko continued with her statement, "_Keigo_..." she glared at the monkey-faced captain, "wants to _say_ something to you."

"Why?" Ukyou asked, clutching her stomach. "Now I don't feel very comfortable..."

"Ask him." Was the answer as Michiko pushed Atobe forward, giving him a look.

"I...ah...apologize for the other day..." he started to say, but hesitated as Ukyou's face turned a light shade of green.

"Uh...I got a funny in my tummy..." she moaned, and opened her mouth...

_SPLAT._

-

-

"Ucchan...you feel alright?" Michiko questioned worriedly. Atobe came out of the change room with a not-very-pleasant frown on his face.

His eye twitched. "Do I...have to...forgive...her...for..._this_...too...?" he guestured to his dirty shirt which was in the sink in the nurse's office.

Ukyou's face was pale. "I feel better than I did before...I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I'm sorry, Monkey King."

"Monkey King?!" Atobe looked at her as if she was crazy.

"Echizen-kun told me that he calls you that." She replied.

Michiko laughed nervously. "Uh...Ucchan...don't call him that."

"Why not?"

"Um..." she searched frantically for an excuse. "He'll explode."

Ukyou widened her eyes and eyed Atobe. "O-ok..."

_Thank goodness Ucchan's so gullible..._ Michiko sighed.

The rest of the Hyotei regulars had followed the three of them in. Jirou was looking at Atobe's stained shirt in awe. It wasn't before long that Hiyoshi dragged him away.

"So, you're acquainted with Michiko?" Oshitari asked, looking at Ukyou strangely.

"Yeah." Ukyou tried to smile, but ended up with a guilty look. Then she stood up. "I shouldn't be here. I'm going to get in trouble for coming onto another school's property..."

Michiko plopped her down again and checked her forehead. "Uh oh...I think I might've given you my fever..."

Ukyou stood up again. "All the better for me to get home."

Michiko shook her head. Then she grinned evilly. "Let's drop you over at Fuji-san's."

"No!" Ukyou squeaked, her face turning colours.

"His house isn't very far...and we'll take you. How about that?"

Atobe cut in. "Woah...woah. Who's 'we'll'...?"

Michiko grinned again. "Us, of course!"

"Us?"

"You, me, Yuushi, Gaku-kun, Ji-chan, Hiyoshi-kun, Shi-kun, and Chou-chan!"

Shishido jumped into the conversation. "Hey! Who allowed you to give me a nickname?!"

"Me. Now let's go!" Michiko said gleefully, dragging Ukyou with her wailing.

"Wait! Noooo!"

-

-

"...And so, she ended up here." Michiko ended, smiling.

Fuji raised an eyebrow. "I see..." Then he shook his head. "Ukyou-chan...how many times have I told you to be careful on the skateboard?"

Ukyou jumped and coughed, thinking carefully. Then she frowned and said, "I dunno...over five-hundred?"

He rolled his eyes, smiling. "Let's get you in a bed."

Ukyou gaped. "Michy..." she glowered, "YOU WILL PAY! _PAY_! I SWEAR TO YOU..."

"Bye, Fuji-san!" Michiko waved hurriedly and closed the door.

Jirou ran up to her, quite scared of something. "Mi-chan!"

"What?"

"Buchou's shirt smells _so_ bad!"

Michiko rolled her eyes. "Of _course_, Ji-chan...that's what happens when someone throws up on it."

"Will it be like that tomorrow too?"

"Only if he doesn't wash it."

Atobe interrupted, "I'll have you know...Ore-sama's shirt is always clean! But...today was an exception."

Michiko laughed all the way home.

-

-

_Ring...Ring..._

"H'llo?" Michiko muttered into the phone. She was still doing homework.

"HA! I TOLD YOU I'D GET YOU BACK!"

"By...calling me...?"

"Uh...yeah!"

"Ucchan...goodbye."

"No! Wait! I really am mad at you, ya know?"

"For what?" Michiko asked.

"For..."

_Beep...Beep..._

"Oh, hold on. I have another call. Bye, Ucchan."

"Mi – " And the line was cut.

"H'llo?" She asked again.

"Ore-sama wishes to speak to Jirou."

Michiko raised an eyebrow. "Why not call _his_ cell?"

"He forgot it, probably at school or something."

Michiko sighed. "Well...guess what he's doing right now."

"...Sleeping?"

"Duh."

"Okay then...tell him that he has to have extra weights on tomorrow at practice."

"Alright. Oh...did you get your shirt washed yet?"

"It's being washed. That friend of yours is disgusting."

Michiko scoffed. "_You're_ disgusting! Stop talking about her like that!"

"Whatever." A pause. Then, "Goodnight."

Michiko stared at the phone in shock. _Did he just say 'Goodnight'? To me?_ "Y-yeah. G-goodnight."

-

-

**Yeah, shorter chappie. This one was really stupid. So don't be afraid to put me down. But try not to, 'kay? I'm sensitive like that.**

**Ukyou-Taisuke**


	3. Chapter 3

**Uh...yeah. Whatever. I have a load of homework I'm supposed to be doing, so...be glad that I decided to type this instead!**

-

-

"Ji-chan..." Michiko sighed, wanting to whack herself on the head. This had been the gazillionth time she was explaining the English assignment. Only, every time she tried to talk, Jirou fell into a dozing frenzy.

Michiko looked at the clock. Then she tried to shake her lazy cousin awake. "JI-CHAN. CLASS IS STARTING IN FIVE MINUTES." She said loudly, picking the textbooks up.

Jirou snored and rolled over, falling off the chair. Michiko widened her eyes and looked at the sight before whispering, "I didn't do anything..."

Then, the bell rang and Michiko threw her arms up into the air, shaking Jirou awake. "JI-CHAN!" she whined.

"Wha? Who? Cup...cake...?" he muttered, blinking and rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, yes, cupcake," Michiko said distractedly, checking the time. "We're going to be laaaate!"

-

-

"Eh...I failed." Jirou pouted.

Michiko patted him on the back. "At least you were allowed to get a re-test."

"Mi-chan...you were supposed to teach me!"

Michiko rolled her eyes. "I was _trying_ to, but look who fell asleep!" She eyed her cousin, who gave her a sheepish look.

"Gomen." He bowed his head and frowned.

"Ah, it's okay. Just...try and stay awake next time, 'kay?" Michiko said cheerily, waving it off with her hand.

"Okaay..." he sighed.

-

-

"Uhm..." Michiko twitched, trying not to wince at the sight that was sitting in front of her. Or rather, lying down in front of her.

Fuji smiled. "Oh hi, Nakamura-san." Then he looked towards the lying down figure. "Ukyou-chan, are you alright?"

Ukyou had fallen, face down onto flat concrete. Her situation had attracted many of the tennis regulars, and they all looked at the girl, who wasn't moving, on the floor.

Michiko hesitated, then asked, "Ucchan...?"

Silence.

Fuji frowned. "Ukyou-chan? Can you hear me?"

Atobe, who was watching as well, scoffed. "Good riddance."

Michiko turned around and glared. She opened her mouth to retort, but someone beat her to it.

"OOOWWWWW! Dang it, that _really_ hurt!" Ukyou popped upright, rubbing her injured nose. Then she turned white. "I can't feel my nose!" she screamed.

Fuji bent down close to her and put two fingers to her nose as Ukyou fidgeted, turning shades of pink.

Michiko was laughing all the while. Inside, of course. If Ukyou saw her laughing, she'd be dead in less than a minute.

Then, Fuji stood up and smiled. He reported, "It's alright, Ukyou-chan. Maybe we should get you a new board..." he eyed the worn out piece of wood Ukyou called her 'skateboard'.

Michiko smiled wryly. "I think I agree with him, Ucchan."

Ukyou stood up and sniffed. "But..." she protested, her lower lip trembling.

Fuji stood up as well and smiled, his eyes open now. "Let's get you to the hospital. I don't know if that nose of yours is really alright."

Ukyou frowned. "It's al_right_!"

Michiko smiled cheekily and pushed her gently. "Yes, yes. Off to the hospital now, Ucchan!"

Ukyou scrunched up her face. "Oh yeah?"

Atobe snorted. "You look awful."

Ukyou turned to look at him for a long time. Then she turned back to Michiko. "Michy, I don't think your boyfriend likes me very much."

Atobe gawked. "B-B-BOYFRIEND?"

Michiko flushed and shot Ukyou a glare. "Ucchan...!" she warned, her face turning a deep red.

Ukyou smiled, dancing around and singing, "Michy's got a _boyfriend_! Michy's got a _boyfriend_!"

"Ucchan!"

"Oooh, she's _blushing_! She's _blushing_!"

Michiko threw her arms up in the air, frustrated, as Ukyou ran behind Fuji for protection.

Fuji looked at her confusedly as Ukyou screamed, "You can't attack me! I have a human shield!"

"Ukyou-chan?"

"Now, now! Let's go to the hospital, shall we? Hospital, here we come!" she sang, grabbing her piece of wood skipping off, laughing all the way.

Atobe was about to make yet another remark, but Oshitari, the smarter one, whispered. "Do you _want_ to make her angrier than she already is?" Then he smirked. "Of course, she _is_ the one you consider...special."

Atobe glared at Oshitari, who shut up immediately and retreated.

-

-

Ukyou came out a few minutes later, a white bandage plastered on her nose. She came out with a grimace on her face, which sent Jirou into a fit of giggles.

Michiko couldn't help but giggling either; Ukyou looked like she'd been dragged to some kind of military program where they had tea parties and played dress-up. Michiko knew that Ukyou hated that kind of stuff.

Ukyou caught Michiko's giggling and stuck her tongue out as Fuji stepped out after her. He looked quite surprised at the Hyotei crowd. "I didn't know Nakamura-san attracted so much attention," he teased.

"No, it's just that big lug over there," Ukyou gestured to Atobe, "who insists of following Michy wherever she goes, and since Mr. I'm-so-rich-and-you're-not is the captain, his servants follow him."

Michiko slapped her own forehead. "Ucchan, was that in English or something? 'Cus I didn't understand a word of it."

Ukyou took a deep breath, ready to repeat her explanation, but was cut off by Fuji, who smiled his creepy smile again.

"Saa...I think she meant that Since Atobe follows you, the rest follow Atobe."

Michiko 'oh'ed and raised an eyebrow at Atobe, who scoffed and looked away.

Then, something similar to a gurgle erupted from Michiko's stomach, and she blushed in embarrassment.

Ukyou laughed and pointed. "Ah! Michy's hungry!" Then her own stomach growled. "And...I guess I am too...?" she said sheepishly as everyone except the stubborn Atobe Keigo laughed.

Michiko grabbed Atobe's hand and told him, "You're buying something for us to eat."

"What? Why Ore-sama?"

Ukyou squealed and jumped up and down. "I love this part!"

Everyone except Michiko glanced at her. "Huh?"

Michiko grinned and started talking, "Number one, you're super duper rich. Number two, you haven't said a positive thing all day. And number three, you're being a stubborn _pig_!"

Ukyou grabbed a stopwatch and shouted, "TIME!" Then she stared at the watch and shoved it in Michiko's face. "IT'S A NEW RECORD! Fifteen seconds! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!"

Michiko clapped her hands together and pulled Atobe to a sweets shop, while everyone else followed, Atobe with an unreadable expression on his face as Michiko pulled him along.

-

-

"Glutton." Atobe growled through gritted teeth as Ukyou slurped another chocolate parfait down.

Ukyou smiled. "I'm doing this to empty your wallet, you know."

"Why you – !"

Michiko laughed. "No more fighting! And Ucchan, I have to agree with Atobe; you're eating too much!"

"But I'm only on my fourth parfait!" Ukyou whined.

"Yeah, I haven't even finished my first crepe yet!"

Oshitari looked at his watch and sighed. "It's almost 6, people. Hurry it up. There are people who still want to finish homework."

Jirou spoke up, "And I know that's not me!"

Michiko laughed, her voice leaving a tingling feeling inside our Monkey King.

_I guess this is what you call 'music to your ears'._

-

-

**Shorter chappie...oh man. I'm gonna have to try and satisfy you peeps, huh? You like short chappies? I bet you don't.**

**Ukyou-Taisuke**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, okay. The usual: homework. Stinking homework which destroys your fanfiction-ness. Grrr… …That, AND laziness. xD**

**Well…this chappie is based on something that happened on school, and I got really mad…and yeah. The rest that happened was a mush, all messed up and dirty.**

**This chapter is to cheer Michy up, since she said something about a family member being sick and stuff…MICHY! CHEER UP!**

-

-

"56! 56 percent!" Jirou screamed, over and over again until Michiko thought she felt her ears pounding. Yes, the sleepy-go happy tennis player managed to get a 56 on his retest. But did his happiness have to go so far as to screaming into his poor cousin's ears?

"Ji-chan, I _get_ it now!" Michiko screamed back, her eyes squeezed shut and her hands clenched into fists.

Jirou blinked confusedly, and then laughed nervously. "Sorry, Mi-chan…"

"MICHY!"

Michiko turned around, recognizing the bright, high-pitched voice. "Ucchan! Not on your skateboard today?"

Ukyou grinned widely and bounced on the soles of her sneakers. "I'm getting it fixed!"

"I thought you were going to get a new one, though!" Michiko thought about the day before, when the wooden board clattered into pieces.

"Fuji-senpai offered to buy me a new one, and I got guilty, so I just went to get it repaired." Ukyou shrugged, kicking a pebble. "Though there was one in the store that I really liked…"

"Then why didn't you get it? That old piece of wood is useless now, Ucchan! Why didn't you just let Fuji-kun buy you a new one?"

"He…"

"Go away."

Michiko rolled her eyes, hearing the arrogant, cocky voice sound behind her. "_Keigo_, would you be so kind as to…" she made a shuffling movement with her hands, "shove off?"

Atobe rolled his eyes as well and smirked at her. "As you do _not_ wish, _Michiko._"

Ukyou looked between the two of them. "How far as your relationship _gone_? I mean, the last time I checked, I think you two were still calling each other by your last names and not your given names?"

Atobe scoffed airily, "I am merely calling here by her first name because she addressed me by mine."

"Oh yeah? Well, maybe I should start calling you 'Monkey King' as well! Eh, Monkey King?"

"As you prefer. But then I shall give a nickname to your _friend_ of yours, huh?"

"What…"

"This Seigaku brat, I shall name _Idiot_."

Ukyou stomped her foot. "I have a name, and that's _Ukyou_!"

"Well, you're also an idiot, so I have the authority to call you Idiot!"

"Says who?!" Ukyou was starting to get angry, moisture coming to her eyes and clouding her vision.

Michiko noticed. Well, of course she noticed. Michiko had been Ukyou's friend since ever, and she noticed every single thing that made her friend upset. Michiko was always the most observant.

"Me! And according to _my_ rules, _you don't have a name_! You're just this whiny brat who bothers people at their own time!" Atobe retorted. He, of course, hadn't noticed that Ukyou wasn't playing his game this time. He didn't notice when she rubbed at her eyes and shouted back at him. He just thought that this was one of their usual banters, but he was all wrong.

Atobe was just playing this game, and it was a game that Ukyou didn't like playing.

Michiko tried to stop him, to get him to stop talking, anything to get Ukyou to smile again, but Atobe had pushed too far this time, and Ukyou started producing tears, her breath coming in quick, small gasps. Michiko began to wonder if she was alright.

He dug way too far into her past, and Michiko knew that Ukyou wouldn't be fine with it.

-

-

"I didn't mean to!" Atobe protested, as Michiko still glared at him. Ukyou was still sitting there, but she had calmed down after Fuji, who had come later, gave her a lollipop to suck on.

"Michy, I'm fine with it." Ukyou started to talk, but Michiko didn't stop glaring. She knew Ukyou's pain. She knew what it was like to have your past suddenly unlocked to others. Also, Ukyou's voice was dull, and she couldn't let him get away with just apologizing.

Ukyou, seeing that the silence was getting more uncomfortable, began to explain.

"My father died when I was still small."

Atobe and Michiko, along with the rest of Hyotei's regulars and Fuji, looked up, startled. Ukyou wasn't the type of person to start talking serious.

"Mother couldn't name me. I turned five, and she still couldn't name me, because she was still so unsteady about father's death."

Michiko smiled sadly. This, she knew, was part of the reason why she adored people like Michiko and Fuji so much. They were people that were quite easy to get along with, and they could understand.

"I was nameless until the age of seven. Teachers called me 'Midori' because I had green eyes, but the people around me would whisper in loud voices and called me 'Nameless'." She let out a forced laugh, which made many flinch.

"Then I met Michy."

No one was talking at this point, and Michiko held her breath, slightly proud that she was the heroine of Ukyou's story.

"Michy was nice. She offered me candy, talked to me and became my friend. She started calling me 'Ucchan' for no real reason. And so then, my name became Ukyou."

Michiko opened her mouth to let out all the tension that had practically squeezed her throat tight. "That's why she's so sensitive about her name. It's important to her, and I don't like you saying things to her like that."

Atobe was next to talk. "Sorry." As soon as the word left his mouth, he had the strangest look on his face, which pretty much said 'when in the world did I become so soft?'

Ukyou, who was staring at Atobe's face, suddenly started giggling. Still holding the lollipop in her hand, she kept giggling, until her insides started splitting, and tears were running down her cheeks.

Michiko rolled her eyes, a smile on her face, and began laughing as well.

Fuji soon joined them, giving Atobe a knowing look before cracking a grin.

Atobe merely scoffed again and stared quietly at Michiko's laughing face.

-

-

"…She fell asleep, eh?" Atobe smirked, looking at Ukyou, who had her head in Fuji's lap. The whole gang had been playing at the arcade for two hours, and Ukyou's eyes had finally given out on her.

Michiko laughed quietly at Ukyou and wondered what would happen if she just grabbed a camera from nowhere and start taking pictures of the two. …Needless to say, she'd be a dead meatball if Ukyou ever found out.

Then, Michiko's face lit up, and she nudged Atobe. "Keigo, I need a camera!"

"What for?" came the reply. He tried to keep the surprise out of his voice; she had just called him _Keigo. _Not Atobe, but _Keigo_.

"So I can blackmail those two."

Atobe squinted at her, and she smiled innocently. "…Fine." He handed his expensive, high quality camera to her, and she took it gingerly.

_SNAP!_

_SNAP, SNAP!_

She giggled and asked Atobe, whose face was slightly pink. "Can you have these developed by tomorrow?"

Atobe grunted, "Sure thing."

She beamed, "Thanks, Keigo!"

"…You too, Michiko."

-

-

…**Weird? OOC? Yeah, I know. But THEY'RE TALKING FIRST NAMES! FIRST NAMES! HAH!**

**And yeah, that's what happened to me today. xD Weird, huh?**

**A bit of Ukyou and Fuji there…but there is going to be FLUFF in the next chapter, I assure you.**

…**Michy? You okay? I luffle you! xD**

**REVIEW PLEASE! …cookies?**

**Ukyou-Taisuke**


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